“I have a terrific headache.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s last words (before dying of a cerebral hemorrhage)
Tweet of the Week! (@HSA_McGill)
March 1759: British courtesan Kitty Fisher “accidentally” falls off her horse in St. James’ Park, exposing her thighs to scandalized (yet interested) old men: the press and tabloid attention given to the event would immortalize her as one of the first celebrities in the age of mass media #BREAKTHEPRINTINGPRESS
The Preamble
Good afternoon everyone,
The next time an old person on the Metro tells you about how our generation is quickly descending into moral degeneracy with figures such as Paris Hilton and Kim K, please tell them about 250+ year old Kitty Fisher, who pulled herself from poverty into riches and the history books in the most fabulous manner possible. With the press following her every move, she would season her bread and butter with thousand-guinea bills, thoroughly emasculate cheap dates in the tabloids, and throw solar-eclipse levels of shade at her great rival, Lady Coventry (when asked at the park by Coventry where she had bought her dress, Kitty told her to “ask her husband, as he had gifted it to her”). The BBC needs to abandon the endless angst of Downton Abbey and commission a mini-series entitled Keeping Up With The Kourtesans.
I hope everyone has been enjoying their first week back sliding through the streets of Montreal, as Milton Street has transformed into anAmerica’s Next Top Model sadistic runway challenge. The HSA has a bunch of fun events planned this semester: look forward to a Valentine’s Day Round Table with Classics (this goes without saying, but if you are looking for information on heteronormative love, don’t hold your breath), and a Thomson House dress-up party in the near future! Here’s what’s happening this week:
The Main Event
Departmental Advising Options
Add/Drop Period, ending 20 January
Before letting Jesus take the wheel in your academic life this semester, why not speak to one of your wonderful departmental advisers? Both the HSA and the Department of History will be available to help you out!
1. The HSA office is in the Leacock Building, Room 629, so if you have any general questions about McGill history or opinions on classes, please feel free to visit and speak or send an e-mail to any of the execs. You can also post your problems on the HSA Facebook page. There’s really no such thing as a stupid question; I chose my first-year classes based on the presence of flaming chili peppers and English accents, so I’m really not in a position to judge you.
2. If you’re looking for the best advice, why not speak to an actual professor? Most of the department’s academic advisers will be holding extended office hours during the Add/Drop period. Make sure to visit the professor that is responsible for your respective program; for a full list of advisers, visit the Department of History website.
Minor Concentration
Prof. Shanon Fitzpatrick
Office: Leacock 628
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursdays 1:30-3:30
Major Concentration
Prof. Michael Fronda
Office: Leacock 826
Office hours: Mondays 10:00-noon
Joint Honours
Prof. Jason Opal
Office: Leacock 821
Office hours: Fridays 9:00-noon
Honours
Prof. Daviken Studniki-Gizbert
Office: Leacock 622
Office hours: Tuesdays/Thursdays 3:30-4:30
3. There’s always Arts OASIS, if you don’t love yourself (it’s really really busy during this time, and they offer extremely general advice).
Applications for Important Things
AUS Essay Centre – Now Recruiting Tutors
Deadline: 23 January
The AUS Essay Centre is currently recruiting essay tutors for the winter semester. Tutors meet with students at drop-in hours a few times per week to provide writing advice and essay proofreading. Applicants must meet a 3.3 cumulative GPA and be available from 12:30-1:30 some days of the week. Positions as appointment-only tutors are also available.
To apply, send a writing sample to aus.essay.centre@gmail.com and fill out the application here by January 23rd.
The Department of History Needs Members for a Focus Group!
15, and 20 January, 5pm (Ferrier 333)
The Department is thinking about its curriculum as a whole and would like to invite interested major program students to participate in one of two focus groups. Professor Suzanne Morton is looking to meet with a dozen students either on Wednesday 15 January OR Tuesday 20 January at 5:00 in Ferrier 333. If you would like to participate please contact Professor S Morton at Suzanne.Morton@mcgill.ca. Alternately, I have attached some of the questions to be discussed and if you would like to write – in confidence – to her on any of these issues she would welcome hearing from you before 23 January. She hopes to be able to make a report of my findings at a meeting in late January.
Other Events
Get Involved with AIESEC!
AIESEC is an international nonprofit organization that provides young people with leadership opportunities to develop themselves into global leaders with an urge to make a difference in society. As of January 2014, the AIESEC network includes over 100,000 members in 124 countries and territories. It is the largest student-run organization in the world. AIESEC provides students work abroad experience through our outgoing experience programs where you can develop your leadership skills and cultivate a global mindset while on an international internship.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Register on www.aiesec.ca/register to get continuous updates about AIESEC McGill and its endeavors in providing and supporting leadership, internship and exchange related opportunities to a great number of students across McGill University.
Attend one of our information sessions:
• Friday January 9th at 6PM in the Madeleine Parent room
• Wednesday January 14th at 6PM in the Ballroom
• Friday January 16th at 6PM in the Madeline Parent room
• Monday January 19th at 6PM in the Ballroom
Or like our Facebook page for more information and opportunities!
Calls for Submissions
Historical Discourses
Deadline: Mid-January
Historical Discourses, McGill’s undergraduate history student journal, is currently accepting submissions for our 2015 publication. Since 1991, the journal has presented the best and the brightest writing in undergraduate history. The reason why I think Historical Discourses is quite frankly the most academically stimulating student journal on campus is because they won’t just copy and paste your essay. An amazing editorial board will actually lead you through the same peer review process that all academics go through, with the end goal of bringing out the best in your best work.
We are looking for strong pieces of history writing either based on primary sources or historiography. The paper should be no longer that 30 pages and have received an A or A-. This year we are also taking part in an exciting new collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. If you have an essay on Canadian history of between 10 and 15 pages please submit it for publication in their history journal, Retrospect. All submissions should be emailed to historicaldiscoursesmcgill@gmail.com.
If you want to see past issues of Historical Discourses, feel free to stop by the HSA office (Leacock 629): we have the entire back catalogue.
McGill Journal of Middle East Studies
Deadline: 31 January
The McGill Journal of Middle East Studies (MJMES) is now accepting submissions for its 2014-2015 issue! Papers must be at least 10 pages in length, concern the modern Middle East, have received a grade of A- or higher (we will also accept ungraded papers that have been written outside the classroom), and written in English, French or Arabic. We also encourage you to submit photo essays and cover photos! Submissions must be sent to mejournal@gmail.com by January 31st, 2015. The journal is also currently accepting shorter contributions, pieces ranging from 500 – 1000 words, on a rolling basis for its blog: (http://mjmes.wordpress.com/).
The Journal is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in writing, submitting, and revising articles for an academic journal. If selected for publication, an author’s article will be printed in the Journal and distributed to various libraries and institutions around the world as well as on our website, http://mjmes.com/. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns!
Columbia University’s Journal of Politics and Society
Deadline: 12 January
Columbia University’s Journal of Politics and Society, an academic journal of social sciences and history, is currently accepting student papers for 2015. The Journal is distributed nationally among academics on EBSCO, Google Scholar, and the Library of Congress, and is seeking outstanding student research papers from seminars, upper-level electives, independent study and thesis programs. The preference is for papers between 20 and 50 pages, thought all submissions will be considered, and the deadline is 12 January 2015.”
The deadline for student paper submissions is January 12th, 2015. To download a Call for Papers PDF, please visit our website.
If you care to learn more about the organization or to view past editions of the Journal, please visit www.helvidius.org.
Hirundo
Deadline: 15 February
Hirundo is currently accepting submissions! This is your opportunity to have your work travel far and wide and contribute to the development of Classical Studies. We welcome submissions of research essays, original poetry, plays, Greek or Latin translations, artwork, or original photographs.
Papers need to be at least 8 pages long and must have received an A or an A-. Only undergraduate papers are accepted. You may submit maximum 2 papers. All submissions must be in Word (or PDF). Please remove your personal information before sending your work.
Original photographs (JPEG or PNG format) may be in colour or black-and-white. Submissions should include an informative caption describing the significance of the photo. All artwork will be reviewed for possible publication on the journal cover.
Only submissions sent from your official McGill address will be accepted.
E-mail your work to hirundo.history@gmail.com.
The HSA and You
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please contact your benevolent leaders!
President – Disha Jani
mcgill.hsa.president@gmail.com
VP Finance – Emma Meldrum
VP Internal/Events – Josie Teed
mcgill.hsa.internal@gmail.com
VP Communications – Ben Wong
mcgill.hsa.communications@gmail.com
VP Academic/External – Eden Rusnell
mcgill.hsa.external@gmail.com
hsamcgill.com 